As our Houston trade show blog told you recently, promotional items at trade shows are indispensable and should be chosen wisely so that you can get the best return on your investment. One idea you may consider, when it comes to getting the most for your money, is creating different “tiers” of promotional items that you can hand out to different groups of people you encounter at your next show. Here’s what we mean by that.
It involves creating a hierarchy of the people you see at trade shows. At a typical trade show designed for businesses in your industry, here are some examples of groups you are likely to encounter:
- Existing clients you want to retain
- Casual prospects you want to reach out to once
- Ongoing prospects you are committed to pursuing seriously
- Potential partners for future projects and opportunities
Each of these groups may respond best to a different promotional item. So, you may consider handing out a low cost item to people in the “casual prospect” category, while reserving higher end promotional items for those prospects you are determined to pursue for the long haul. As for potential partners, consider something in the mid-priced tier that they can use to remember you by.
Of course, existing customers deserve something really special, and there are plenty of promotional trade show items that can be personalized to show your current clients your gratitude. Don’t neglect the opportunity to show them your appreciation with something, especially if you only see them in person at an annual or semi-annual trade show event.
Promotional items are one of the most important trade show investments you can make, so our Houston trade show advisors encourage you to purchase them mindfully. Creating this simple tier system ensures that you are spending this budget wisely, and getting the most out of the promotional items you give away.
